Bates - No Intentions Reporting to Camp or Play on Tag

[Whatever]

(07-16-2022, 08:15 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Said at the end of the season that there was only two choices, pay Bates or release him.

Everybody understands there will not be enough money available to sign him next year, so don't get making him mad and using the tag. He already mailed it in last regular season and may again if disgruntled. For the record I would much rather he mailed it in during league play and balled out in playoffs like he did though and still like the kid.

I don't hate Bates at all even, in this league you have to get your money while you can and this will probably be his biggest contract of his career, I get it.

On the Bengals side though the tag was only smart if you knew Bates would happily play on the tag.  Yet if there was a question at all about him playing or having his heart 100% into the team while doing so ? Then it was time to move along and use that $13 million on a FA that would help out Bengals more so during a win now season.

Now Bates is in a tough spot as well, being a more athletic safety has been signed. If he plays on tag and gets out played by a rookie then his value drops like a lead zeppelin before negotiations even begin on his contract.   It's a mess that should have been avoided imo, Bates earned his payday in the playoffs and we should have let him cash in since we were monetarily hamstrung with Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Wilson contracts looming.  

It's sad because I want both sides to win in this deal.

I don't hate Bates or fundamentally disagree with him trying to maximize his value, but I just think the guy is off base in his demands.  If Bates had gone out in '21 and backed up his '20 season, I would say he has a legit claim at a Top 5 contract.  But he didn't, and that's on him.  He was offered an extension last year.  He passed to bet on himself and lost.